Choice Ready Updates
NDDPI shared the following Choice Ready updates with school personnel on Jan. 6, 2025.
1) CDE Military Courses Approved within Choice Ready Framework
The statewide ESSA committee unanimously voted to approve adding Center for Distance Education (CDE) courses to the military pathway within our Choice Ready Framework at the winter meeting held on Dec. 16, 2024. These courses provide additional options for North Dakota students to graduate Choice Ready.
2) Updated Choice Ready Resources
The following two resources have been updated based on the change outlined above and are posted on the NDDPI website:
3) Choice Ready/Compass
Patrick Mineer from Compass/Golden Path Solutions continues to support the four-year rolling plan within the Choice Ready Framework. Resources can be accessed here.
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Federal Funding Update
- Each year, Congress appropriates federal dollars to fund the federal government and numerous supplemental programs and initiatives.
- In December 2024, Congress passed a continuing resolution to buy more time for funding discussions.
- Congress now has until March 14, 2025, to reach an agreement and avoid a government shutdown.
 Capitol Tablet
Every Friday, NDDPI publishes the Capitol Tablet, a weekly newsletter that provides a list of education-related bills and resolutions the department is following during the legislative session. The Capitol Tablet includes a brief description of each measure, the name of its primary legislative sponsor, a link to the measure’s text, and where it stands in the legislative process. We do not post this newsletter online because of ADA accessibility concerns, but we can email it to you if you like.
If interested in receiving this newsletter, please contact Dale Wetzel and ask to be put on the mailing list.
Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers (RAP-T) Request for Applications for Round Five
NDDPI released the official Request for Applications (RFA) for round five of the Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers (RAP-T) on, Jan. 6, 2025. We anticipate this will be the final funding opportunity for the RAP-T grant. All information is posted on the RAP-T website.
The anticipated schedule is below:
| Event |
Time |
Date |
| Request for Applications Released |
|
Jan. 6, 2025 |
| Application Deadline |
11:59 p.m. CT |
Feb. 17, 2025 |
| Notice of Contract Award |
|
April 1. 2025 |
| Proposed Contract Start Date |
|
May 1, 2025 |
Key Information on round five can be found here.
The RFA can be found here.
Applications must be submitted to [email protected] by Feb. 17, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Matzke at (701) 328-2284.
Educators Interested in Educators Rising
In early December 2024, NDDPI sent out correspondence regarding a potential grant opportunity with PDK International for their primary program, Educators Rising.
PDK International has graciously agreed to sponsor a webinar to provide more details on their program and grant opportunity.
What: Webinar on Educators Rising grant opportunity
When: Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025
Time: 3 p.m. CT
Please watch for future notifications, information, and registration. If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Matzke at (701) 328-2284.
2024 NAEP Release Day Confirmed
The National Assessment Governing Board announced that the 2024 National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP) results for math and reading in fourth and eighth grades, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, will be released to the public on Jan. 29, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EST at nationsreportcard.gov.
North Dakota Scholarship Reminders
The North Dakota Scholarship application is now open, and will remain open until Friday, June 6, 2025. Class of 2025 seniors may submit their scholarship applications at any time prior to the June 6 application deadline.
Please also keep in mind that the new North Dakota Scholarship requirements will go into effect starting with the Class of 2025, and students can no longer qualify using the old Academic and Career & Technical Education (CTE) Scholarship requirements. Be sure that students and parents know that the requirements are different, and make sure that they also know the differences between the Choice Ready requirements and the North Dakota Scholarship requirements. A separate, and more detailed email regarding scholarship procedures was sent to secondary principals and school counselors earlier this week.
If you have any questions, please contact Jim Upgren at (701) 328-2244.
Early Graduates and State Scholarship Applications
Students graduating at any time during the 2024-25 school year should complete the scholarship application within the same timeframe as seniors graduating at the end of the 2024-25 school year. The scholarship application is due Friday, June 6, 2025. Please note that, regardless of the graduation date, students graduating at any time during the 2024-25 school year who are approved for the scholarship will first become eligible to use the scholarship funds starting in the fall of 2025 term.
If you have any questions, please contact Jim Upgren at (701) 328-2244.
2024-25 Student Engagement Survey Administration
North Dakota’s next Student Engagement Survey (SES) administration is scheduled for Jan. 13-Feb. 14, 2025. The surveys are now available in closed status in the surveys module of the Cognia myJourney page. School and district rosters are also available for download.
The student will use this website to take the survey.
The SES is not an evaluation of individual student behaviors, but rather a method to collect feedback directly from students about their learning experiences. The SES measures student engagement in elementary (grades 3-5), middle (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12) through students’ responses to 21 items about their learning experiences. NDDPI aims for a participation rate of 95% for all students in grades 3-12.
At the state level, data is reported annually as an indicator of school quality as part of the state’s accountability system under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This “Student Engagement” indicator accounts for 30% of elementary or middle schools’ overall rating and 20% of high schools’ overall rating for the school year.
Information on how to:
- Download your school or district’s student roster for the survey
- Administer the survey to students
- Verify that each student has completed the survey
- Access and interpret your survey results
is available in the SES Administration Guide on the NDDPI/Cognia partnership webpage, along with a number of other SES resources to help your school or district administer the survey.
If you have any questions, please contact Angie Thomas at (701) 328-2597, or Steve Snow at (701) 328-2236.
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NDDPI Seeks Individuals to Serve on the
Financial Literacy Content Standards Review Committee
NDDPI seeks individuals to serve on a committee to review the prospective drafts of the state content standards in Financial Literacy, prepared by a separate committee of content specialists from K-12 schools, school districts, and higher education institutions in North Dakota.
NDDPI is working with a committee of content specialists to write the Financial Literacy Content Standards. As part of this process, a statewide committee consisting of North Dakota community leaders, business, industry, and labor representatives, and citizens of North Dakota will meet to review the drafts of the content standards and prepare comments for the writing committee. These comments will be shared with the writing committee as they continue to write the Financial Literacy Content Standards.
The first draft review of the North Dakota Financial Literacy Content Standards will be held on Feb. 6, 2025.
The application for selection of review committee members is due by Jan. 13, 2025.
NDDPI Seeks Input on the First Draft of the Financial Literacy Content Standards
NDDPI is seeking feedback on the first draft of the North Dakota Financial Literacy Content Standards.
Content standards are concise, written descriptions outlining the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire at specific stages of their education, illustrating what students have learned upon completion of a grade level or grade span. The academic standards do not describe particular teaching practices, curriculum, or assessment methods.
Over the past three months, a committee of North Dakota educators has diligently been working on the creation of these standards and is now seeking feedback. NDDPI asks that all interested stakeholders provide their feedback on the draft of the standards through the survey linked below by Feb. 14, 2025.
For more information about the standards review process, please contact Davonne Eldredge, Assistant Director of Academic Support.
 We are now accepting nominations for 2025 North Dakota County Teachers of the Year (CTOY)! Any educator who holds a valid teaching license, serves in a role that requires a teaching license, and spends more than 50% of their time working directly with students is eligible to be nominated. ANYBODY can submit a nomination.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗯. 𝟵, and county winners will have the opportunity to apply to be considered for the 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Award.
To nominate a teacher, fill out this short form.
You can find more information about the NDTOY program on our website.
New Title I Allocation Process and Release of 2023 Census Data for 2025-2026
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has released the 2023 Census Data for review. The USED uses the 2023 Census data to provide Title I allocations for each state. North Dakota will join 43 other states in using this consistent method to calculate Title I allocations for the 2025-26 school year.
It is IMPORTANT that all districts review this MEMO, which explains the USED method and comprehensive approach to calculating Title I allocations that will be different this year from the past. You will also be able to view the North Dakota Census data and a comparison chart that may help with planning purposes.
Reading Curriculum and Professional Development STARS Report Review Results Webinar
NDDPI and the North Dakota Regional Education Agencies (NDREAs) are presenting a second opportunity to attend a webinar to learn about the Reading Curriculum and Professional Development report review process and how to plan for your next assigned report. This is a repeat of the webinar presented on Dec. 18, 2024, and will be most helpful to those schools which received a one- or two-year approval. You can view a recording of the Dec. 18 presentation on the ND Science of Reading website or join the live webinar with this link on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, at 1 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Brenda Ehrmantraut.
 The Deadline is Approaching for the ND CLIMBS Elementary and Secondary Literacy Grant Applications
Applications are due Jan. 15, 2025. This grant will issue $44 million in funding to North Dakota public schools over the next four years to support literacy improvement through systemic coaching and professional development. Grantee buildings will receive fully funded Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) contracts, coordinator salary funds, national conference travel funding, professional development in literacy leadership and North Dakota standards-aligned and science of reading literacy instruction. Find all the details including the grant application and webinar links on the ND CLIMBS webpage. If you have any questions, please contact Brenda Ehrmantraut or Taylor Olsen.
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